


Endgame

by Talullah



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-22
Updated: 2014-08-22
Packaged: 2018-02-14 07:15:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2182752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talullah/pseuds/Talullah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Elrond and Thranduil play a little game.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Endgame

**Author's Note:**

> This piece was not betaed!
> 
> Birthday present for say_aye.
> 
> [Disclaimer/Blanket Statement](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Talullah/profile)

**Imladris, somewhere between the fall of Eregion and the Last Alliance.**

"Endgame," exclaimed Thranduil not even trying to conceal the triumphant notes of his voice. "It seems I have won again, isn't it?" he asked cockily while waving his knight lazily in the air, knowing how badly each word would irritate Elrond.

They had been playing chess all night long and Thranduil had constantly lost, sometimes so quickly it was suspicious. Then, as the skies started to tinge with the rosy tones of dawn, he had stretched, yawned rather rudely, and had proposed a bet, smirking over his calyx of miruvor.

"It has been a long night, Elrond. How about a nice little wager and then we'll be off to bed?"

Elrond had never been one to take advantage of another and Thranduil was a very bad player and a tired one to top it.

"I don't think that would be wise. We are both tired and we should just call it a night," he said diplomatically.

Thranduil laughed. "Don't tell me you are afraid of losing to me."

"Hardly," Elrond retorted annoyed. It was unconceivable that the other elf had lost the whole night and was still so self-assured.

"We are on, then," Thranduil promptly replied, cornering him. "We shall play five more matches. The winner may ask a boon of the other."

Elrond squinted. "As long as it is not a means to gain political advantage."

Thranduil lifted an eye brow. "There are other things worth pursuing beyond an advantageous trade tax or an improved border security, you know?"

Elrond shrugged. He could not think of a thing he could want from Thranduil other than the very things just mentioned, and he would surely win. 'Maybe I will ask him for a foal of that lovely grey mare he has,' he thought. Only the tiniest movement of the left corner of his lips let Thranduil know he had accepted the bet.

They played in silence. The first game was furiously swift and Thranduil placed the final move with such a smile of self-satisfaction Elrond felt a surge of alarm.

He tried to reassure himself. 'It was just a fluke; there is no way a mediocre player as Thranduil will catch me off my guard again.'

He was wrong. He offered much more of a fight on the second game, but Thranduil did catch him off his guard and once more won the game.

Elrond took a deep breath. 'Right, he has been playing me the whole night long,' he thought with a surge of worry. 'I will not let him win though. He will not have an advantage over me or Imladris.'

They played. The stakes were high and neither wanted to lose but while Elrond leaned over the table worriedly, Thranduil lay back on the comfortable chair like a large, lazy cat.

At last, he moved forward suddenly and let the final blow to Elrond's game. The peredhel knew there was no way he could win the game after that move but he refused to quit. He lost the game as expected.

He felt a weight settling in his forehead as two deep sulks formed. He had now lost the bet, but he would see it through to the end to prove Thranduil he was not such an easy prey and to buy himself some time. Who knew what Thranduil could want from him?

He put up as much fight as he could but exhaustion and disillusion were warring against him too. The final game was the drop of water and he allowed himself a stern glare towards Thranduil as the wood elf so arrogantly claimed victory.

Now was the time to start paying for his previous arrogance. He sighed deeply. "What will you have of me, Thranduil? Remember the terms of our deal: no political or commercial advantages."

Thranduil growled. "I am no less honourable than you, Elrond, and besides what I want from you was something altogether different."

"And what is that?" Elrond asked, ignoring the use of the past tense.

"Never mind. Your words took the taste out of my victory." Thranduil rose from his chair with a look of disgust.

Elrond rose too. A diplomatic incident would not sit well with his people, not by one bit. "I apologise, I didn't mean you were not honourable, but I do have to defend my people's interests. I'm sure that you as the son of a king can understand this."

Thranduil stood for a minute inspecting Elrond's face, as if trying to determine the extent of his sincerity. "All right, I will grant you the benefit of the doubt," he said in the end and then nodded politely and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Elrond said. "What about your prize."

"I don't want it now." Thranduil said, his back turned to Elrond.

"Well, when will you want it then? If it's something complicated you have to give me time to make arrangements."

"It's not something complicated, but after your words I fear that anything I might ask would lead you to think me dishonourable."

Elrond felt he had behaved as a sour loser. "Please, I have apologised. Why don't you try me. I will gladly give you your just reward, I promise."

Thranduil turned to face Elrond abruptly. "Don't make promises so lightly. Do you even have an idea of what I want?"

"No," Elrond admitted guiltily.

"I just wanted the right to ask you a personal question. Or two." Thranduil said in a low voice.

Elrond raised his eyebrow in complete disbelief. "Just that? I don't even have any secrets. What could you possibly want to ask me?"

"Is it true that you are in love with Gil-galad and the two of you have had an affair since Elbereth knows how long?" Thranduil asked bluntly.

"No!" Elrond replied shocked before he could even think about the meaning of the question. Once more Thranduil had caught him off his guard.

"So if someone was to court you, your heart would be free?" Thranduil insisted.

Elrond had recovered slightly from the surprise and his brain had started to work again. Why these questions? Could it be that the wood elf had that kind of interest on him? And did he reciprocate that interest? And what would Gil-galad think of such and affair? He was not his lover but he was his king and his friend. And what would Oropher think? Oh, he was sure Oropher would not think any nice thoughts about this. He realised he must have been gaping at Thranduil for quite a few moments now because he had come nearer and was standing in front of him.

Thranduil touched his face tenderly with his hand and let it wander through his jaw and then to his neck. He pulled Elrond closer and whispered to his lips, "You think too much."

Elrond smiled and closed the gap between their lips.

 

_Finis  
June 2005_


End file.
